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Walt Whitman’s most famous poem, “Song of Myself,” is a “barbaric yawp” that celebrates freedom, inclusion, and democracy. Working with this iconic piece, the New York theater collective Compagnia de’ Colombari has created seven short films with actors and musicians around the globe bringing Whitman’s words to life in startling and beautiful new ways.

The films will be screened on Thursday, November 16, at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center as part of a Whitman on Walls (WoW!) event. After each film, a local performance poet will offer an original piece of work written in response to the film—conversing with, talking back to, wrestling with Walt Whitman. The seven poets include Buffalo’s poet laureate, the Emmy-nominated Jillian Hanesworth, and Brandon Williamson, founder of Pure Ink Poetry.

The evening will begin with Curtis Lovell, accompanied by Luis Montijo, performing two of the songs she has created from Walt Whitman’s poems for the Calamus Project and Ujima Company. The founder and director of Compagnia de’ Colombari, Karin Coonrod, who teaches drama at Yale University, will offer brief remarks. The event is free and open to the public.